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1. Image
News image: "Minions & Monsters" leads the box office in a holiday weekend report.
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2. Vocabulary
- box officethe money a film earns from ticket sales in cinemas.
- headlinethe main title of a news article.
- sequela film that continues an earlier story.
- animatedmade with drawings or computer graphics, not live action.
- grossto earn money before costs are taken away.
- domesticin the home country.
- overseasin foreign countries outside the home market.
- franchisea series of related films or products.
- opening weekendthe first weekend a film is shown in cinemas.
- at the top spotin first place.
- stellar casta very strong group of actors.
- in the redlosing money.
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3. Text
Weekend box office: one film takes the lead
This news story is about the weekend box office results for several films in North America. Minions & Monsters finished ranked No. 1 on Friday with $16 million and was expected to end the weekend with a stronger total. The article says the film should also earn a large amount overseas, which helps its overall success.
The movie is a sequel in a popular family film franchise. It is animated and aimed at a family-friendly audience. The report also mentions that the series has a very strong history at the cinema, with earlier films reaching huge worldwide totals.
Toy Story 5 came second and continued to attract viewers in its third weekend. Young Washington was third, while Supergirl had a sharp drop in its earnings after a weak opening. Disclosure Day finished fifth.
This kind of article often uses estimates, rankings, and money figures to show which film is doing best. It helps readers compare a film’s opening weekend, its domestic total, and its possible success in other markets.
Context note: In entertainment news, “domestic” means the home market, while “overseas” means countries outside it. “Gross” means the money a film earns before costs are taken away.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think some films rise to the top of the box office faster than others?
- Which factor matters more to you when choosing a film: the story, the cast, or the type of movie?
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4. Listening
Listen to the news recap and answer the questions.
- Which film is in first place?
- How much did the top film make on Friday?
- Which film came in second?
- What place did Young Washington take?
- What happened to Supergirl over the weekend?
- Which film is expected to do well in foreign markets?
Teacher audio script
Presenter: Here is the latest box office update. Minions & Monsters opened at number one on Friday with sixteen million dollars. The animated sequel is expected to finish the weekend with about thirty-nine and a half million dollars in the United States. That would give it a North American total of around sixty-four million dollars so far. Presenter: Toy Story 5 stayed strong in second place with thirteen million dollars on Friday. Young Washington moved into third with an estimated seven point four million dollars. Supergirl had a very weak weekend and took fourth place after a steep drop in sales. By Sunday, it is expected to make only about eight point seven million dollars. Presenter: Another film, Disclosure Day, came in fifth with two point two million dollars on Friday. Universal is also hoping for strong results overseas, since Minions & Monsters is expected to do very well in foreign markets by the end of the weekend.
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5. Grammar
Comparatives and Superlatives in News Reports
We use comparatives to compare two things and superlatives to compare three or more things.
1) Comparatives
Use -er for short adjectives:
- higher → higher
- lower → lower
Use more / less + adjective for longer adjectives:
- more successful
- less popular
Form:
- adjective + -er + than
- more / less + adjective + than
Examples
- Minions & Monsters earned more money than Supergirl on Friday.
- Toy Story 5 had a higher total than Young Washington.
- Supergirl had a bigger drop than the other films.
- The overseas result was better than the domestic result.
2) Superlatives
Use the + adjective + -est for short adjectives:
- the highest
- the lowest
Use the most / the least + adjective for longer adjectives:
- the most successful
- the least profitable
Form:
- the + adjective + -est
- the most / the least + adjective
Examples
- Minions & Monsters was the highest film on Friday.
- It had the biggest opening-day result in the group.
- Supergirl had the worst weekend among the five films.
- The Minions franchise is one of the most successful series in modern family films.
3) Useful comparison words in news stories
News reports often use these words with comparatives and superlatives:
- than: higher than, lower than
- among: the best among the films
- by: fell by 76%
- in first place / second place / third place: ranking language
4) Common mistakes
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Wrong: more higher than
Correct: *higher than -
Wrong: the more successful film when comparing only two films
Correct: the more successful film is possible, but in news writing we often say more successful than. -
Wrong: the highest than Toy Story 5
Correct: *higher than Toy Story 5 -
Wrong: Supergirl was the worse film when you mean the lowest result
Correct: Supergirl had the worst result or *Supergirl performed worse than the others
5) Quick practice pattern
Try these sentence frames:
- A was higher than B.
- A earned more than B.
- A had the biggest drop.
- A was the least successful film of the weekend.
6) Check your understanding
Choose the correct form when you speak or write about box office news:
- higher / highest for comparing two or more results
- more / most with longer adjectives
- than after comparatives
- the before superlatives
Use these forms to describe rankings, earnings, drops, and overall success in a clear news style.
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6. Speaking
Class speaking activity — read, then practise aloud with your teacher or partner
Speaking: Why do some films become hits?
Work in pairs or small groups. Use the article theme to talk about movie success, audience taste, and money at the cinema.
Warm-up
- Which film from the weekend report sounds most interesting to you?
- What usually makes you want to watch a film in a cinema: the story, the actors, the trailer, or the reviews?
Discussion prompts
- Why do you think a family-friendly film can do well at the box office?
- Some films make a strong opening weekend but then have a big drop later. Why does this happen?
- Do you think a sequel has an advantage because people already know the franchise?
- What matters more to many viewers: a film’s gross or the quality of the story?
- Why might a film earn more overseas than in its domestic market?
- If a movie is ranked No. 1, does that mean it is the best film? Why or why not?
- Which type of film often attracts more people in your country: animation, superhero films, or historical dramas?
- Can a movie be a financial success but still receive mixed opinions from audiences?
Useful speaking phrases
- In my opinion, …
- I think this film appeals to … because …
- The main reason is probably …
- It may earn more money because …
- Being successful at the box office does not always mean …
- I would choose this film because …
Pair task
Choose one film from the news story and answer these two questions:
- Why do you think it performed well or poorly?
- Would you personally pay to see it in a cinema? Why?
Quick follow-up
As a group, decide which factor is most important for box office success:
- famous characters
- release timing
- family appeal
- positive reviews
- strong marketing
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7. Writing task
Write a short summary of the Variety article in your own words. Include the top three films, one money figure, and one opinion about box office success. Use simple B1 English and avoid copying sentences from the article.
Aim for at least 70 words.
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8. AI conversation
Roles set by your teacherTopic-based chat
Who is responsible for what
Stay in your role during the live voice chat. The AI partner follows the other role.
You (student)
film fan reading the news
AI partner
news editor asking follow-up questions
What to do
- Use your microphone and speak in English.
- Talk for about 5 minutes about the box office article.
- Stay in role and keep the conversation on the film news topic.
- Answer the AI partner’s questions and share your opinion.
Students connect here for a live 5-minute AI voice conversation.
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9. Word ordering
Teacher preview — use the slider to move between sentences and try the task as students see it.
Put the words in order to make each sentence.
Sentence 1 / 4
Your sentence
Tap words to place them here
Word bank
Sentence 1 of 4: 0 / 7 words placed
Answer key (teachers only)
Students do not see this. Add or update questions and answers below the activity.
- Slide 1Minions & Monsters took first place on Friday.
- Slide 2Toy Story 5 came in second place.
- Slide 3Supergirl had a very difficult weekend.
- Slide 4The film should earn more money overseas.
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10. Board game
Student's turn
Student
Teacher
Roll the die, move along the path, and complete each film-news task when you land on a square. Take turns with a partner and try to reach FINISH first!
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